NewsCalifornia News

Actions

Arrest made in killing of woman found in shallow grave in 2003 near Mammoth Lakes

police-lights
Posted
and last updated

MAMMOTH LAKES, Calif. (AP) — Authorities say a 47-year-old man has been arrested on suspicion of killing a woman found in a shallow grave near a California mountain town nearly two decades ago.

When human remains were discovered in 2003 near Mammoth Lakes, officials could only determine the victim was a woman about 30 to 40 years old from southern Mexico.

The Mono County Sheriff’s Office says advances in DNA technology allowed investigators to identify her as Isabel Sanchez Bernal of Puebla, Mexico. The identification led to the arrest on Friday.

The sheriff’s office did not indicate how detectives determined the suspect was involved in the woman’s death.

,

Weather

Daily Forecast

View Hourly Forecast

Day

Conditions

HI / LO

Precip

Friday

04/10/2026

Partly Cloudy

82° / 56°

7%

Saturday

04/11/2026

Partly Cloudy

77° / 54°

4%

Sunday

04/12/2026

AM Rain

67° / 50°

73%

Monday

04/13/2026

Partly Cloudy

67° / 48°

15%

Tuesday

04/14/2026

Sunny

74° / 49°

3%

Wednesday

04/15/2026

Mostly Sunny

77° / 53°

3%

Thursday

04/16/2026

Partly Cloudy

76° / 52°

3%

Friday

04/17/2026

Sunny

79° / 54°

2%